Johnston Police Department Collecting Prescription Drugs Saturday

Not sure what to do with that left over prescription?

The and the Drug Enforcement Administration are giving residents a way to prevent pill abuse and theft at the Take-Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs event Saturday.

Residents can rid their homes of dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at

Last April, more than 376,000 pounds of prescription drugs were collected nationwide in a prescription take-back day, according to a Johnston Police Department news release.

The take-back initiative began as a public safety and health issue, according to the release.

"Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet," the release said.

"In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards," the release said.